CHAPTER 21
Antonio
WITH MY HEAD thrown back against the wall, I sat in my chair with one leg bent and the other straight.
I spun my knife between my fingers, waiting for some sort of reaction.
My mind rushed back to before I sat in this chair, craving , to get my hands bloody and bruised.
Nirah’s hospital room.
I called the nurse in after I carefully laid her head down on the pillow. I was asked to leave the room as the nurses rushed in.
Everything around me stilled as I stared into the square glass window attached to the door. They stuck needles in her, connected her to the machines, and soon enough, she disappeared from my vision.
Anxiously—I paced up and down in the hallway outside of the operating room.
Fury burned in my core as my mind wandered to the worst possible scenario. Losing her.
The muscle in my jaw ticked as adrenaline coursed through my veins. I ran a frustrated hand down my face, trying not to slam my fist into the wall.
After treacherous hours of waiting, the door finally opened, and my head snapped up. The doctor exited the room, removing the mask from his mouth.
“Your wife is going to be okay.”
It was as though a heap of oxygen filled my lungs, extinguishing the burning sensation in my chest. She’ll be okay.
“The operation was successful. And she will make a full recovery,” he reassuringly nodded.
“There was mild internal bleeding, but she got here just in time for us to stop it. She’ll be left with a scar or two, but that’s a given, unfortunately.
Her bruises will soon fade, but as for now she’s stabilized. ”
I know I should feel relieved, happy even, but I know I’ll feel neither of those things, not until I’ve tortured and killed that bastard with my bare hands.
“Your wife had unfortunately passed out the first time because of the physical pain and loss of blood.”
“Can I see her?”
He seemed reluctant, but even he knew better than to deny me access to her. “As soon as she’s transferred back to her room.”
“Then what the fuck are you waiting for?” I asked, stepping closer to him and I didn’t miss the flicker of fear behind his eyes.
“I’ll have her transferred immediately. Excuse me, Mr. De Luca.”
He headed back inside and I heavily exhaled.
After they transferred her into a private hospital room, I found myself at her side as she laid peacefully.
I leaned down, placing a gentle kiss to her forehead.
Logan rushed inside with his latest accessory, an eye patch, and I curled my fingers into a fist. The fucker got a knife to his eyeball, but I didn’t give a damn.
“Is Miss Nirah okay?” his brows rose, and without thinking I threw a punch at him, sending his head swerving left with a groan.
“Get in there, and don’t leave her side again,” I ordered. “If I come back to find her with a single new scratch, I’ll rip your throat out,” I threatened and he swallowed hard.
“Yes sir,” he lowered his head and headed further into the room. I closed the door behind myself and the two men I placed outside her room jumped up from their seats, standing up straight.
“Why were you sitting down?” I asked, feeling the muscle under my eye twitch and they nervously glanced at each other. “Sit down again, and I’ll kick your knee caps in, giving you a reason to.”
“Yes boss,” they nodded in unison.
Kirill—her second bodyguard—had been paralyzed from the neck down. Logan had been with him at the hospital and the doctor said it would take a few days to wear off. Fucking pussy.
With my blood already boiling, I dialed Cesar’s number. He picked up almost immediately. “ Is Miss Nirah okay? ” His voice held concern, and even though I should be grateful that someone else cared for her almost as much as l did, I couldn’t help the anger bubbling inside of me.
“Meet me at the house. Now .”
I ended the call and made my way down to my car. Now, it was time to avenge my beautiful fiancée.
I pulled my head from the wall when the man—chained to my wall—groaned, lifting his head.
Cesar stepped forward, picked up a bucket of ice-cold water, and splashed it on him. His gasp was loud as he frantically looked around.
His head moved faster than his eyes, and his breathing slowly steadied. His fingers unfolded when he finally met my gaze. “Antonio? What the fuck are you doing?” he snapped and I pressed the sharp point of my knife into the palm of my hand, twisting it just a little.
I slightly tilted my head to the right, and he impatiently waited for me to respond. “Tighter,” I looked up at Cesar and he nodded. He walked around and tightened the chains so that Sylvester’s body felt as though it was being pulled apart in two different directions.
“Fuck man!” he groaned and Cesar stepped back. “What happened? I thought…” he trailed off and I felt some sort of enjoyment creep in.
“I can tell you what happened, refresh your memory,” I casually shrugged my shoulders and he nodded excessively. “You tried to hide. I found you. Knocked you out. Then brought you here. Sound familiar?” I asked, getting up and he frantically looked between Cesar and me.
“But you said…”
“You touched my girl, Sylvester,” I said, stopping in front of him.
“Y—your girl?” he stammered in confusion. I slightly tilted my head to the right, clenching my jaw and realization hit him in an instant.
“Do you know what happens to people who touch what’s mine?” I questioned, tracing my blade down his shoulder.
“They die?” he swallowed hard and I watched the little ball in his throat bop up and down. I placed my knife against it and he winced.
“A slow… and painful death.”
“ Diavolo , please—”
“Did she beg you?” I cut him off and his bottom lip quivered as frowned. He was fucking pathetic.
“What—”
“Did my fiancée beg you, or say please when you put your hands on her?” I asked and he stayed silent. I bitterly scoffed. “Now… don’t make me ask you again,” I warned him, lowering my voice.
“Yes,” he stuttered.
“How many times?” I clutched the knife, lifting it to his ear.
“I don’t know, I wasn’t—I wasn’t listening,” he shook his head.
“Ah… you weren’t listening,” I slowly nodded. “Well then,” I pressed the blade behind his ear. “You don’t need this then.”
I sliced the knife into his flesh, peeling off his bloody ear and it hung by the tiniest piece of flesh.
His loud groan echoed into the room and the chains rattled as he tried tugging his hands free. He tilted his head to the side, trying to cover his ear.
“ Diavolo, please, I’m begging you—don’t do this. If I had known she was your girl I wouldn’t have touched her, I swear,” he sobbed.
“You think I’m stupid, don’t you?”
His head snapped up. “No no—I’d never,” he shook his head.
“You’ve known since the beginning.”
“I thought—I— Diavolo, please,” he faltered and I felt the utmost satisfaction. I took a deep, fulfilling breath in, slowly exhaling.
“Well, it’s too late for that now, isn’t it? I’m going to make you suffer for trying to hurt her since the day you learned her fucking name,” I assured him and he blinked rapidly.
His jaw ticked as he tried to find the right words but couldn’t.
I stabbed my knife into his thigh and he groaned at the pain. Picking up a second knife, I stabbed it into his other thigh. “ Diavolo , listen,” he groaned. “I’ll make you—make you a deal,” he breathlessly said as I walked over to the steel table.
Irritably, I grabbed some battery acid, making my way over to him.
“Hear me out, I—”
Grabbing his face with my hand, I forced his mouth open before pouring some into it—not too much, I still needed him alive. “I don’t remember giving you permission to speak,” I looked down at him as his head hung low.
He choked out, spitting the acid on the floor and I watched the acid mix with his blood and saliva.
“ Diavolo —” I cut him off once again, pouring the acid into his mouth.
“Still didn’t give you permission to speak,” I shook my head and he gagged, attempting to throw up. “Keep him alive,” I instructed Cesar and he gave me a single nod. “I want him alive and untouched, so no matter how much he provokes you, don’t touch him.”
I walked over to Cesar and he straightened his shoulders “If he dies at your hands, you die at mine.”
“Yes sir,” he responded with a stern nod and I patted his shoulder before heading up the stairs that lead out of my basement.
I closed the door behind myself, loosening my tie around my neck. I made my way upstairs and into my bedroom, feeling anger undoubtedly coursing through my veins.
I ran my hand through my hair, taking a deep breath in as I made my way around the room. All I could think about was her . Her fucking eyes—her big fucking eyes. Her soft lips that curved into the sexiest, yet most adorable smile.
The way she bats her eyelashes at me whenever she wants something. I never understood how that ever made a man weak until she had done it and fuck, it worked. I’d give her whatever she wanted—craved even.
She stayed on my mind 24/7, even when we weren’t together. I couldn’t get her out of my fucking head and I damn near didn’t want to.
I got into the shower and changed into one of my preferred black suits.
I grabbed my suit jacket right as my phone rang. Logan.
“ Boss? ” he nervously said and I heard a slight noise in the background.
“What is it?” I jitted out and he took a deep breath in.
“You need to get to the hospital. I don’t know what’s wrong with her, she’s—I don’t know,” he sped through his words.
“I’ll be there soon. Go and get a doctor you fucking idiot,” I ordered, making my way to the door.
“ Why didn’t I think of that! ” he breathlessly said and I clutched the phone in my hand before ending the call and shoving it in my pocket.
“Mr Antonio!” Rosalia called as I got to the bottom of the stairs. “Where’s Miss Nirah? Is she okay?” she asked, her voice laced with worrisome.